~ Reflections of 2014 ~

Hello my dear friends!

What a year this has been for me!

The year began with MUCH frustration,

between recovering from eye surgery combined 

with being at war with my computer, while 

trying to teach myself how to make 

Scattered Seed Samplers 

become a reality.

I'm SO happy that my eyes are

finally healed, I won the battle with my

computer, and I'm learning as I go

with my designing!

  As 2014 is quickly coming to a close, I thought today

would be a great day to reflect on the eleven

patterns released during my first year as a designer.

~ Scattered Seed Samplers ~

Established January 2014

Designer, Tammy Black

Pattern Number One.

~ Prince of Peace ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

***

Pattern Number Two..

~ Spring Meadow ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

***

Pattern Number Three...

~ Lucky Dog ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

Small sampler, plus three sizes of pinkeep necklaces.

***

Pattern Number Four....

~ Bittersweet Gatherings ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

This pattern can be finished as a pinkeep drum

or as a regular pinkeep as shown at the 

beginning of this post.

***

Pattern Number Five.....

~ Harvest Hares ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

***

Pattern Number Six......

~ Miss Isabelle Black ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

***

Pattern Number Seven.......

~ Lady Rachel Ruth ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

***

Pattern Number Eight........

~ Hannah's Thankful Heart ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

***

Pattern Number Nine.........

~ Joy to the World ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

***

Pattern Number Ten..........

~ Mary Mustardseed ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

***

Pattern Number Eleven...........

~ Keeper of My Heart ~

©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers

***

I'm really excited about starting the New Year, 

especially with so many major obstacles

now behind me!

In 2014 I was happy to have:

~ Hoffman Distributing &

~ Norden Crafts 

as my distributors!

For 2015 I will also be adding to that list.

~ Yarn Tree Distributing

***

<<< COMING SOON >>>

Spring of 2015

I'm working on the details for a very

 special addition to Scattered Seed Samplers.....I'll

be releasing the information sometime in

January :)

AND

<<< STARTING IN JANUARY >>>

I LOVE to do drawings for free gift giveaways....so

starting in January I'll be doing ~ 

MONTHLY GIFT GIVEAWAY DRAWINGS

***

As I look out the kitchen window all I can think about is......

S*P*R*I*N*G

My favorite time of the year!!!

***

Check out this nice decorating!

While driving through the very small town of 

Coon Valley, Wisconsin, this old 

brick farmhouse is a Chiropractic Business....it lights up 

the entire little sleepy town!

***

~ Weekly Soul Food ~

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do,

do it with thy might;

for there is no work,

nor device,

nor knowledge, 

nor wisdom,

in the grave,

whither thou goest.

~ Ecclesiastes 9:10...KJV ~

***

Thank you for visiting with me today, and I look

forward to our next visit....next year!

~ Happy New Year ~

from Scattered Seed Samplers,

 Kindly, Tammy 

~ Keeper of My Heart ~

Hello dear friends, hope your Christmas was

very special!

It felt good to take a short break from my regular

routine, but I'm really excited about starting

the New Year!

~ Studio News ~

Today has just flown by with so much paper work to 

sort through and calls to make.

As promised on Monday, today I'm releasing my 

new pattern for Valentine's Day......

~ Keeper Of My Heart ©2014 Scattered Seed Samplers 

by Tammy Black ~

Prim & proper sweethearts  =^..^=

Stitch Count ~ 101W by 114H

Model Linen ~ R&R linen ~ Busy Bee Blend

Model Thread ~ All Gentle Art (DMC alternatives included)

Keeper of My Heart is now available in my Etsy Shoppe ~

www.etsy.com/shop/scatteredseedsampler

~♥~

I also promised on Monday that I would share my present

that came all the way from Shropshire, United Kingdom.....

~ 19th Century Spaniel Dog with glass eyes ~

I could hardly wait to open up this package....I just LOVE it!

This little Cocker Spaniel pincushion is made out of

spelter metal, and is highly detailed with a 

lovely expression!

I'm so happy to add this little fellow to my collection, it 

reminds me of the little dog my Grandmother

 had when I was a little girl.

~♥~

I was blessed with two other very special sewing gifts.....

~ Hand tooled leather wall pincushion caddy ~

Wow, I was speechless when I opened this package....this is

ONE OF A KIND!!!

The craftsmanship is absolutely EXQUISITE, and in very 

wonderful condition for its age!

In the center is a picture/post card of a woman and below it 

reads "The Last Rose of Summer."  I'm not sure who she is, but the 

picture certainly looks 1800's.  There is a post mark on the back

that reads "September 30, 6AM, 1905 Atlantic City." 

It is addressed to "Mr. Harry M. Woodside, 2118 Maryland Ave,"

and has the edge of a 1cent stamp.  

Behind this picture is an original mirror that has lost

all of its silvering.

My guess is that this lower box probable held spools of thread?

I'm still trying to decide if I should use some

 leather oil or not?

~♥~

Have you ever heard of Black Forest pincushions

from Germany?

I'm now the proud owner of one!  

This is my 1st Black Forest piece...plus this one is 

also a thimble holder!!

Likely carved from Lindenwood, and stained

with a rich Walnut Brown.

C. 1920's

The pincushion is in a very fragile state with all the original

sawdust exposed.  

I'll be making a new cushion, and will use this original 

sawdust.

What a special Christmas indeed!!!

~♥~

This little grapevine tree ended up being a "Sheep Tree"!

AND

Our big tree ended up being decorated with all the 

old mercury style bulbs...I haven't taken a 

picture of it yet.

I finally found my moment of peace where I

could just sit and relax and enjoy all the 

decorating, Christmas music, and a 

wonderful hot Mocha....yeah!

~♥~

On my way to the post office on Christmas Eve I passed a 

special little sight....

Our nearby neighbor's geese were close to the road, 

and I was able to get a picture of this 

busy little Christmas flock!

~♥~

Peace Be Still my friends as we enter the year of 2015!

~♥~

~ Weekend Soul Food ~

Every word of God is pure:

he is a shield unto them that put

their trust in him.

~ Proverbs 30:5...KJV ~

~♥~

Blessings of Cheerfulness to all, 

from Scattered Seed Samplers

~ Kindly, Tammy

~ Peace Be Still ~

Merry Christmas dear friends!

Have you found a moment of peace,

in the midst of  this busy time of year?

I have not....yet!

After I finish up here in the Studio today, 

I'll finally be heading into LaCrosse

to do my Christmas shopping!

Today, I'd like to share some of my favorite Christmas

decorations that have been tucked here and there.

I'll start with this magnificent stag deer that I rescued from

a junk shop several years ago....

  

~ Large Antique Celluloid Stag Deer ~

Old celluloid animal figures usually sell for a high price.

I was smiling all the way home because I only paid $5.00 

for this incredible find!

Celluloid animals are very light and hollow.  In this lighting you

can almost see through it.  

Because Celluloid is light, many of the old animals will have 

some sort of dent, but this deer is in pristine condition!

To add some holiday color I added the red silk ribbon 

with an old German bell that I borrowed from one

of my sheep.  

Have you ever found a great treasure at an almost 

giveaway price?

***

Another one of my collections is

"Mourning Sheep"....

I love the happy feeling my sheep collections give me,

they just fill me with such a sense of peacefulness.

An old mourning sheep will always be very heavy, being made

of either plaster/concrete, chalkware or marble.

This was my very first mourning sheep that I purchased over

twenty years ago, and is solid plaster/concrete. 

The small lamb on the top shelf is solid marble, 

and very old.  Unfortunately it has a crack

across its neck, but I don't mind....it just adds to 

the character.

The middle lamb is also solid marble and has

carved wooden ears.

***

Have any of you ever heard of the American Folkartist 

Leo Smith?

My husband and I have been friends with him and his

wife Marilyn for years.  

They are such an artist couple!

Leo does all the carving and Marilyn does the painting.

We are so happy to own several of Leo's original pieces....

~ Leo Smith Folkart Angel ~

I love all of his very creative designs!

~ Leo Smith Angel of Peace ~

~ Leo Smith Angel of Hope ~

I was having a hard time deciding where she looked best!

***

Handmade vintage ornaments are so much fun to hang up....

I like to hang them from the keys

on all my old cabinets. 

***

My grapevine tree is finally sitting on top of an old 

Red Wing crock with a robin's nest on the very

top!

Yesterday, after the football game I did get the lights put 

on it, but it still needs some more decorations...hopefully later

today!

***

~ Studio News ~

I'm all finished stitching my Valentine's Day Sampler, 

and yesterday while watching the football game

I finished the framing....yeah!!!

I'll be releasing this new sampler on Friday, 

December 26th.  

By the time it's actually in the needlework shops it

will be next year....so I'm considering this my 

first sampler of *2*0*1*5*.

I wouldn't feel right releasing it before Christmas

has passed, so please check back on Friday

for the reveal.

***

~ Weekly Soul Food ~

The birth of Jesus....Luke 2:1-20, KJV

Please remember the reason for the season, 

and take a moment to be still and read

the birth of Jesus!

Wishing all my friends a safe and joyful Christmas

spent with those you love ~♥~

Merry Christmas from Scattered Seed Samplers,

~ Kindly, Tammy ~

Only 6 Days Till Christmas!

Is it really Friday already!!!!

So much to do......so little time!

I was hoping to be farther along with all my Christmas

preparations, but unfortunately there have been

so many distractions!

I'd hoped to show you my grapevine tree today, but

I'm not finished decorating it yet!

I'm still pulling out ornaments....

~ Frosty the Snowman ~

~ Primitive handmade crow ~

~ Silver beaded stars ~

~ Vintage Santa ~

My all time favorite ornament is the little silver spider that 

my son Samuel made me when he was in about 2nd grade....it's hard

be believe he's already 22 years old!

Yeah, I found the box with all my antique stand up Christmas

Images.  

I love to hang chalkware sheep here and there....this one 

hangs from the key to the Grandfather Clock.

***

~ Studio News ~

I was very excited to find a new little desk calendar....

~ Art of Sewing ~ 

2015 stand up desk calendar

Just what I needed for my Studio office desk!

I bought my online from 

www.calendars.com

***

I'm finally making some headway on my next sampler after

MUCH frustration and several setbacks!

I do however have the frame picked out....

~ Antique Motto Frame ~

I'll even share a little sneak peek....

Hope to have this new sampler all stitched and framed

after Christmas, and ready to release shortly

after.

***

Ever since my mother passed away suddenly on

December 7th of 2007, it's been really hard for me to 

get into the Christmas Spirit....Christmas was 

always her favorite time of the year.

Now that we can no longer share Christmas together, I've  

started a new tradition of finding a special gift online, and

when it arrives in the mail, I place it under the

Christmas tree and wait until Christmas Day 

to open it.

It's a special gift in memory of her.

I was so happy that the item I ordered made it here on 

time...

All the way from the United Kingdom.

  (I still like to use my old business name

 when ordered things online).

I'll show my little gift on Friday, December 26th.

***

~ Weekend Soul Food ~

But the path of the just is as the shining light,

that shineth more and more unto the 

perfect day.

~ Proverbs 4:18...KJV ~

***

Stay warm and cozy :)

Christmas Blessings of joy to all,

~ Kindly, Tammy ~